Trends
AirTrunk unveils second hyperscale data centre campus in Melbourne amid rising AI infrastructure demand
AirTrunk plans a second hyperscale data centre in Melbourne, adding 354MW of capacity as demand for AI and cloud infrastructure grows.
Headline
AirTrunk plans a second hyperscale data centre in Melbourne, adding 354MW of capacity as demand for AI and cloud infrastructure grows.
Context
Australian data centre operator AirTrunk has acquired land in the north-west of Melbourne for a second hyperscale data centre campus in the city, to be known as MEL2. This facility will have over 354 megawatts (MW) of capacity and represent more than A$5 billion of new direct investment, according to the company’s announcement on 24 December 2025. Once completed, MEL2 will complement AirTrunk’s existing Melbourne site, MEL1 , bringing the company’s total planned deployable data centre capacity in the city to more than 630 MW. Across Australia, the operator will run five campuses, including three in Sydney and two in Melbourne, delivering a combined capacity exceeding 1.2 gigawatts.
Evidence
Pending intelligence enrichment.
Analysis
AirTrunk says the new campus will create over 4 000 jobs during construction and more than 200 direct operational roles, along with more than a thousand additional full-time jobs in the local supply chain. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan welcomed the investment, highlighting its potential role in bolstering the state’s digital infrastructure and technology ecosystem. The expansion in Melbourne closely follows AirTrunk’s recent announcement of a new hyperscale campus in Osaka, Japan, known as OSK2. Together, MEL2 and OSK2 will further extend the company’s footprint across the Asia Pacific and Middle East markets, where it now plans to operate at least 15 data centres. Also Read: stc, Humain and Center3 advance AI-ready data centre Also Read: Datacloud Global Awards 2026 open for entries as industry seeks recognition AirTrunk’s Melbourne expansion comes at a time when demand for cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI)infrastructure is surging globally. Australia’s National AI Plan, released in late 2025, outlines ambitions to position the country as a global AI hub through investment in infrastructure and skills, focusing on spreading benefits across industries while ensuring responsible governance. Proponents view MEL2 as a concrete step towards achieving these goals.
Key Points
- AirTrunk to invest over A$5 billion in a new 354 MW hyperscale data centre campus (MEL2) in Melbourne’s north-west, lifting its total capacity in the city above 630 MW
- The expansion supports Australia’s National AI Plan but raises questions about economic and environmental trade-offs of large-scale digital infrastructure
Actions
Pending intelligence enrichment.
